Recording media using beams having a high energy density, such as a laser beam, have hitherto been used. In these heat recording media, a recording layer having a high optical density absorbs irradiated beams of high energy density to cause a local rise of temperatue. This temperature change induces a physical or chemical change, which alters the optical characteristics of the irradiated area to record information.
Such recording media have the advantage that high density recording is possible; that recording and reading of information can be effected at a high speed; that access time is short; and that the recorded information has excellent preservability for an extended period of time.
Recording on these recording media is generally carried out by transforming the information to be recorded into electric time succession signals and scanning the recording medium with a laser beam having its intensity modulated according to the signals. This recording procedure has the advantage that a recorded image can be obtained in real time.
Conventional techniques for producing the above described laser recording materials include processes using an organic polymer, e.g., polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl butyral, etc., as an undercoat of the base and a process using an organosilicone resin as an undercoat as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 164454/82 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"). However, these techniques have still disadvantages including insufficient reduction of surface defects due to deficiency of the base surface, insufficient improvement of focus servocontrol due to unevenness of the base surface; insufficient prevention of the formation of precipitates ascribed to released metal ions on the base when using glass as a base, which result in the prevention of appearance of white turbidity of the base surface or precipitates in the recording layer; and insufficient prevention of deformation of the base; reduction of sensitivity or reduction of reflectance which is caused by moisture in air entering through the base in the case of air sandwiched type recording media using a plastic sheet as a base.